Northern Tourism Plan coming together

Northern Ontario's new tourism orgnaization has a draft plan in place.

Board member Doug Reynolds says the plan focuses on four main areas including:  marketing, training, investment and product development.

The board has been in place since the Spring.

Reynolds says they hope to finalize the plan by November.

Shoal Lake Threatens protests over water rights

A Kenora area aboriginal community that sits on a lake which is the source of Winnipeg's drinking water is threatening to cut off that supply.

Officials with the Shoal Lake #39 First Nation says they are upset about a City of Winnipeg plan to pipe water to neighbouring communities.

They say if somebody doesn't start listening to them, they may choke off a channel connecting Lake of the Woods to Shoal Lake.

The band argues Winnipeg has no right to sell the water to third parties and must first resolve decades' worth of claims over the lake water.

Voter cards in the mail soon

Voters can expect to see their vote information cards in the mail within the next week or so.

The cards let you know how and where to vote in the provincial election.

Chief Returning Officer for the Kenora-Rainy River riding Ian Simpson says they're still fine tuning where polling stations will be before the cards can be distributed.

Simpson says all of the voting locations will be total acsessible.

Forest Fire Update

After seven slow days the number of new fires in Ontario registered a slight increase last night. A total of 5 new fires were reported in the Northwest Region yesterday. There are currently 42 active fires in the province.

OPP Road Stats

The OPP have talllied up the numbers from the Labour Day weekend blitz in Northwestern Ontario.

A total of 335-charges were laid by OPP officers.

263-of the charges were for speeding.

Police also dealt with several liquor licence act violations, with 34-charges laid.

11-people were arrested for impaired driving.

Ofther offences included not wearing a seatbelt, drug possession, and driving while suspended.

Economic Development Commission

Northwestern Ontario is ahead of the game in economic prosperity.

That statement from Steve Demmings, the CEO of the Thunder Bay Economic Development Commission

Demmings says Thunder Bay has already seen major economic spin-offs from the mining industry and notes it won't be long until outlying communities will see the same.

Terry Fox Run

Plans for the 31st Terry Fox Run are well underway here in Kenora.


Local organizer Laurine Goerzen says "To date we have raised over $356,000 for innovative cancer research."

Participants are encouraged to pick up their pledge sheets and join other communities across Canada to raise donations for cancer research. Registration is at Valleyview School from 9 a.m. to noon on September 18th.

For more information call 807-548-1794

OCAA

Ontario's community colleges could start the new term without varsity athletics because of an ongoing strike.

Josh Bell-Webster, of the Ontario Colleges Athletics Association,says many athletic directors in the schools are support staff workers.

The OCAA represents about 4,000 college athletes in men's and women's soccer, rugby, cross country, golf and women's fastball.Five members of the association's seven-person executive board are on picket lines.They're part of OPSEU, which represents about 8,000 cleaners,food service staff and registration officers at 24 community colleges in the province.

Harbourfront tent

The new Harbourfront Tent will be up in the next week or so.

That's the promise of Tourism Development Officer Heather Paterson.

Paterson says they are gearing up for the Blue Rodeo Concert and says work is progressing on schedule.

Paterson adds that the best tickets for Blue Rodeo are almost sold out, and the rest of the tickets for the concert are also moving quickly now.

http://www.kenoraattractions.ca/

Election Trail

The tone for the 2011 Ontario Election was set yesterday when the Liberals branded Tory Leader Tim Hudak ``Tea Party Tim who is in eastern Ontario today with stops planned in Belleville and Peterborough..

Hudak shot back at Premier Dalton McGuinty accusing him of wasting tax dollars.

Meanwhile, New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath says she won't be spending this campaign ``squabbling'' with her opponents. Horwath is in the north today with stops in Greater Sudbury, Sturgeon Falls and Thunder Bay.

Kienan Hebert

An Amber Alert remains in effect for a missing three-year-old boy from Sparwood, B-C.


Kienan Hebert was last seen Tuesday night wearing blue Scooby-Doo shorts when his family put him to bed. He was reported missing yesterday morning.

After investigating the home, police are now referring to the red-headed Caucasian boy as an ``abducted'' child. They're on the hunt for 46-year-old Randall Hopley -- a person of interest in the case who is not related to Kienan.

David Bouchard

The value of literacy and learning was highlighted at Beaver Brae Secondary school last night. David Bouchard, a member of the Order of Canada, mesmerized the audience through music and storytelling. Bouchard says there's no magic solution to get kids reading but turning the television off does help. Bouchard is scheduled to speak at Lakewood public school and Shoal Lake later today. 

2011 Provincial Election

Fort Frances will be the main site for the returning office for Kenora-Rainy River riding in the October 6th Provincial Election.

The office opens this morning, with Ian Simpson acting as Chief Returning Officer.

The satellite office for Kenora is located on second street.

Drug Bust

Another big drug bust for the Kenora Detachment of the OPP.

A total of 15 people have been arrested and face 43 charges,including drug trafficking, drug production and possession of stolen property

The OPP say they have seized over 12 thousand dollars worth of narcotics,alcohol and cash.

The charges stem from an on-going investigation by the OPP Street CrimesUnit, the Organized Crime and Enforcement Bureau and the Treaty Three Police.

Those charged include residents of Kenora, Whitedog, Rat Portage and Morson.

Rickford reacts to Pikangikum Suicide Crisis

The federal government says it is taking action to deal with the suicide epidemic on the Pikangikum First Nation.

Last week a coronor's report made several recommendations help the troubled community, including re-building the school.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says they have committed funding for the reconstruction of the school.

The Coronor's report dealt with the death of Sixteen people between the ages of 10 and 19 who killed themselves in Pikangikum, between 2006 and 2008.

Green Party Candidate in Kenora-Rainy River Ready to hit Campaign Trail

The Green candidate for the Kenora-Rainy River Riding says she feels stronger and more informed than she did last Provincial election.

Jo Jo Holiday is in her second Provincial election campaign and says its time for someone to represent the people of this Riding.

Holiday says health care, education and child poverty are all issues that need to be corrected.

Birth Rates on the Rise Across Northwestern Ontario

Birth rates are on the rise in Northwestern Ontario.

A recent report shows there's been a 5 percent jump in the number of births since 2004

The Kenora District has seen the biggest recovery with an increase of 9 percent followed by Thunder Bay District with just over 3 percent

NDP Candidates past and future make an appearance at Labor Day Picnic

M.P.P. Howard Hampton won't be standing for re-election in the Kenora-Rainy River Riding this October but he says we're in good hands.

Sarah Campbell is taking his place.

She has been working at Hampton's Dryden constituency for the past 6 years, and Campbell admits she's still learning. 

The NDP say they will be opening their campaign office in Kenora this weekend. 

Classes start at Confederation College despite Strike

Pickets are up at the nine Confederation College campuses in Northwestern Ontario.

Support staff walked off the job last week and no new talks are scheduled.

Today is the first day of classes at Confederation College and President Jim Madder is asking students and staff to take extra care and time when arriving to class.

Madder stresses its important for folks to stop and listen and respect picketers.

He says at the end of the day, these are valued staff and colleagues who are exercising their legal rights.

Discovery Center a big hit with visitors

The new Discovery Center on Lakeview Drive is proving to be a big hit with visitors.

The Discovery Center replaces the old tourism bureau on Highway 17 east.

Tourism Development Officer Heather Paterson says they've seen a big increase in their numbers.

The grand-opening of the Discovery Center took place on Friday afternoon.